Water Crisis Compels House Lawmakers to Provide Assistance to Local Businesses
On January 9, nine counties in West Virginia, including the city of Charleston, were devastated by a chemical leak that contaminated the water supply to approximately 300,000 of the state’s population. Many small businesses were forced to shut their doors until the water was treated. While the investigation to the leak is still ongoing, legislation was introduced in the House on January 15 with the intent to help small businesses that were affected by the crisis.
House Bill 4175, or the West Virginia Small Business Emergency Act, was introduced in the House on January 15. If passed, the bill would provide immediate emergency financial assistance to small businesses located in areas of the state where a state of emergency has been issued in order to promote the “continuity” of the local economy.
The bill was referred to the committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship with a second reference to Finance. The bill was passed with amendment in Small Business and Entrepreneurship and reported to Finance where it too passed the bill out of its committee and reported to the full House for passage.
On January 16, only one day after it being first introduced, House Bill 4175 passed unanimously in the House. It will now go to the Senate for further consideration.
